Teen of the Week: Technical Center senior Preston Ceglar fired up … – Parkersburg News

Preston Ceglar poses for his senior pictures with his welding gear. Ceglar plans to attend the Hobart Institute of Welding Technology after graduation and would like to open his own welding shop one day. (Photo Provided)

PARKERSBURG — Preston Ceglar hopes to one day own his own welding business.

“I want to own my own trucks and if someone needs something welded, I send my employees out to weld it,” Ceglar said. “You always have to start at the lowest and work your way up, but, that’s my big goal.”

Ceglar has already began his journey towards this goal by being a member of the welding program at the Wood County Technical Center his junior year and participating in the collision repair program his senior year. He said although his passion and future is in welding, it doesn’t hurt to have a backup plan.

“I’ve always been taught it’s never a bad idea to have a Plan B,” Ceglar said. “I can still use my welding skills in that (collision repair). I can work in a fab shop (fabrication shop), or anything like that, so it has a background to it.”

Ceglar said he’s always had an interest in welding and that the sparks that come from it fascinated him as a child. He said coming to the Tech Center has helped him with the hands-on experiences he needed to get into welding.

Preston Ceglar with his grandparents Lester and Tammie Marks before the Parkersburg South Homecoming this year. (Photo Provided)

“Don’t get me wrong, you need book work,” Ceglar said. “But I feel like you learn more with your hands than you do with your ears.”

Ceglar is also very hands-on with his work as a member of the student council at the Tech Center. He said he helps with their various projects, including the upcoming Trunk or Treat on Oct. 28, and is a member of the Media Team.

“I go around and take pictures, and post them on Facebook and Instagram,” Ceglar said. “Just trying to get the word out on our programs.”

He said he loves helping out and taking pictures, so much so that he wants to purchase his own camera to take pictures away from school, but it’s the impact he has a member of the student council that means the most to him.

“I love doing stuff like that, but I think the big thing is being a part of it,” Ceglar said. “Being the reason for change.”

Preston Ceglar, back left, poses with his family Jordan Ceglar, brother, Kelly Ceglar, mother, and Nick Ceglar, father, around Christmas 2021. (Photo Provided)

Ceglar’s passion and participation in student council awarded him with an invite from Dr. Jason Hughes, director of the Tech Center, to be a student ambassador for the stakeholders meeting.

“I thought it was a big deal, and it was an honor,” Ceglar said. “People would actually listen to what I had to say, it was very cool.”

He said he spoke to the stakeholders about how they can improve test scores and the need for more room to allow more students to attend the Tech Center since they are at capacity. He said he spoke to them about how important the Tech Center is for preparing students for the workforce since classes operate under a simulated workplace.

“We come up with our own name and logos for our programs, we have to wear uniforms, it’s just like a real job,” Ceglar said. “If you do something wrong, like take off your safety glasses while in the shop, you get written up. We have our own safety meetings. We’re very simulated workplace focused.”

Ceglar also uses his hands at his home school of Parkersburg South as a member of the Patriots football team. He said he plays defensive back and is a long snapper for the team.

Preston Ceglar poses for a picture with his grandfather Rich Hornbeck before the Parkersburg South Homecoming this year. (Photo Provided)

“A lot of people are surprised,” Ceglar said about people finding out he is a long snapper. “I was doing it last year, just for fun, and then he (Head Coach Nathan Tanner) noticed.”

He said he’s been playing football for as long as he can remember and it’s the adrenaline of the big games that he loves the most.

“Especially on South and PHS night, that place was crazy (this year)” Ceglar said. “We didn’t have the outcome we wanted, but it was still a good game.”

Ceglar plans to attend the Hobart Institute of Welding Technology after graduation, and although they do not have a football team, he said he wants to stay connected to the game by becoming a referee and officiating on the weekends.

Ceglar said he attributes a lot of his success to his support system.

Preston Ceglar poses for his senior pictures with his welding gear. Ceglar plans to attend the Hobart Institute of Welding Technology after graduation and would like to open his own welding shop one day. (Photo Provided)

“I wouldn’t be here without my parents, I’ll say that,” Ceglar said.

He said his mother, Kelly Ceglar, pushes him everyday to be his best, his father, Nick Ceglar, supports and encourages him with his athletic endeavors, his grandparents on both sides are always there for him and that he looks up to his older brother, Jordan Ceglar, who is in college.

“It’s a lot of relief off of my shoulders,” Ceglar said about having that support system. “They taught me everything I need to know.”

Ceglar said a mantra he lives by is, “Live as if you were to die tomorrow, learn as if you were to live forever.” He said it meant so much to him he got it tattooed.

“Live your life to the fullest, while you can,” Ceglar said about what it means to him. “Life is not guaranteed. You never know what can happen in a day. So, just don’t take it for granted. You’re going to have bad days, and you’re going to have good days, but the sun comes up every morning.”

Preston Ceglar poses for his senior pictures with his welding gear. Ceglar plans to attend the Hobart Institute of Welding Technology after graduation and would like to open his own welding shop one day. (Photo Provided)

Douglass Huxley can be reached at dhuxley@newsandsentinel.com

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A Quick Glance at Preston Ceglar

* Senior at the Wood County Technical Center and Parkersburg South High School

* Was in the welding program his junior year and currently in the collision repair program his senior year

* Member of the Student Council and Media Team at the Tech Center

* Was a Student Ambassador for the Wood County Technical Center’s stakeholders meeting

* Is a teaching assistant for the cosmetology program at the Wood County Technical Center

* Is a defensive back and long snapper for the Patriots Football Team at Parkersburg South

* Plans to attend the Hobart Institute of Welding Technology after graduation and open his own welding shop one day

* Is a car enthusiast who enjoys attending car shows

Preston Ceglar, left, at a family gathering with his cousin Charlie VanClief and his brother Jordan Ceglar. (Photo Provided)

Preston Ceglar with his mother Kelly Ceglar after a Parkersburg South football game in 2022. (Photo Provided)

Preston Ceglar warming up his long snapping before the 2022 WVSSAC Super Six Football Championships. (Photo Provided)

Preston Ceglar with his mother Kelly Ceglar during the holiday season 2022. (Photo Provided)